FAQ

How much does hoof trimming cost?

The cost of cattle hoof trimming can vary. 

Here at Seeds Hoof Trimming we charge 

$25 for back hooves

$35 to trim all four hooves

$35 to apply a block if required due to lameness.

For bookings under 10 animals. Please call for a quote as this can depend on travel and our current workload. 

How many cows can you trim in a day?

Generally we work on 20 cows per hour for maintenance trimming and 10 cows per hour for lame cows depending on lameness level. Depending on milking times; we can maintenance trim up to 100 cows in a day in a safe and calm manner. For therapeutic trimming of lame cows we can trim up to 50 cows in a day. 

How often should cows have their hooves trimmed?

Most research suggests cows should be trimmed by a professional hoof trimmer twice in a year. This is not currently practical though and not all cows are created equally. Some cows' hooves grow so fast they need trimming multiple times a season and others hooves grow slowly enough they rarely need trimming.

The best practise is to trim any overgrown claws to balance the hooves and regularly trim any lame cows. A qualified hoof trimmer who can regularly visit your herd to do this maintenance and treatment for your lame cows would be the best option where possible. 

Is hoof trimming painful for the cows?

A cow's hoof horn is dead tissue made of keratin, the same as your nails and hair. Trimming excess hoof horn away does not hurt a cow. If a cow is lame, they are already in pain and by trimming away the loose and detached hoof horn we can relieve the pressure on the affected claw, reducing their pain and allowing for healing. 

What happens if you don't trim cows' hooves?

Untrimmed hooves can cause great discomfort to the cow due to overloading of individual claws. This overloading of a claw can cause the cow to go lame, they are then in discomfort and therefore will not eat as much leading to a drop in condition, drop in production and a difficulty getting in-calf. 

How long does it take for the cows hoof to heal?

This very much depends on how severe the injury is and how quickly the lame cow was professionally trimmed and treated. Some minor white line injuries (if trimmed correctly with a block applied and treated with anti-inflammatories) can be healed in less than 4 weeks. Sometimes even faster. 

But cows that have been lame for a long time before being therapeutically trimmed and treated can have lasting damage taking multiple visits from a qualified hoof trimmer to get back to the point of walking properly again. 

In some cases if the injury is left too long before treatment, full recovery isn't possible. 

What are the disadvantages of hoof trimming?

There really are no disadvantages to hoof trimming as long as the trimmer is fully qualified and experienced. The disadvantages of hoof trimming comes from inexperienced or untrained trimmers over-trimming the hoof, causing the cows to become lame or worsening their lameness. Poor animal handling from trimmers without livestock experience can be an issue as well. 

You wouldn't let an unqualified builder build your home. So don't accept any less from your hoof trimmer. A hoof trimmer who has achieved their diploma in their chosen method will have vast understanding of the hoof anatomy and be able to offer solutions and advice to help improve your herds’ hoof health. 

What equipment do you use to trim a cow?

At Seeds Hoof Trimming we have 2 Wopa Hydraulic Chutes that operate off single phase power. These crushes have been specially designed to limit stress to the cows while keeping our professional hoof trimmers safe while working. We use Hoof Knives and Grinders to trim the hooves and record the cows we trim on a tablet. This record along with a report of treatments required are sent along with your invoice within a day of our visit to your farm so you can treat any animals in a timely manner.